1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus and a magnetic recording and reproducing method of the helical scan system to be used for writing and reading signals to and from a magnetic tape, and particularly to a thin film magnetic head having a multitrack structure for high density recording.
2. Description of the Related Art
High density recording in a magnetic recording apparatus using a magnetic tape has been achieved by narrowing a track width and increasing the number of channels. Positions of track ends of write heads arranged on a rotary drum are adjusted so that a width of each of write tracks formed on a recording medium is set to a predetermined value. However, it is difficult to precisely set the write track widths due to influences of precision in mounting height of the write heads, run-out of the rotary drum, wow flutter, and the like.
In view of the above, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-229516 discloses a technique of controlling a ratio of a tape feed amount to a rotary drum to be a predetermined value by mounting a read/write head having a plurality of head elements arranged on a rotary drum with predetermined interval. According to this technique, since information is written to or read out from a plurality of tracks at one time, it is possible to perform stable and reliable recording and reproduction without increasing error in track pitch which would be otherwise caused when errors in mounting the head elements are accumulated.